CORONAVIRUS is mutating very slowly and has had few changes since it first emerged, scientists have said.

A vaccine has not yet been developed for the virus but its lack of change will make it easier for those who are trying to create an effective jab.

⚠️ Read our coronavirus live blog for the latest news & updates

Molecular biologists have now said that working on vaccines with one strain is “much more straightforward than a virus that is changing quickly”.

Peter Thielen from the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory has been sequencing the viral genome of Covid-19 to understand its foundations.

So far in the UK Covid-19 has killed over 41,000 people and globally it has taken the lives ofover 408,000 people.

Governments across the globe introduced strict lockdown measures, some of which are now being eased due to a drop in cases.


 

Speaking to Medical Express Professor Winston Timp said: "It isn't going to be possible for us to truly be able to return to normal until we have a vaccine.”

This is while professor Stuart Ray, who is leading the Hopkins viral genomics effort along with Prof Timp said: "The low mutation rate of the virus means it should be possible to generate a successful vaccine.”

He added that this could boost efforts to develop potential treatments for the disease.

Covid-19 samples examined by researchers have proved to be similar globally and Prof Thielen added that the genetic changes which are occurring are not resulting in different strains of the virus.

He said this is key, as if a vaccine is to be successful then it needs to account for changes and mutations in order to protect people.

Normal flu, Prof Thielen says, changes over a short period of time but he said this is the opposite for Covid-19.

"It is changing slowly, and because there is no existing immunity to the virus, it doesn't have any evolutionary pressure to change as it spreads through the population."

Virus will be "less aggressive"

The lack of change in Covid-19, scientists say, means that if a vaccine is made there is no reason as to why it would not be effective everywhere.

Prof Thielen said a vaccine that blocks Covid’s ability to infect a cell would be highly effective.

This, he says, is due to the fact that the virus would not be able to generate an active infection – therefore it would not be able to spread the disease.

Viruses replicate copies of cells and use an enzyme called a polymerase.

Covid-19 polymerase has a “proofreading activity”.

This means that once a genome is replicated an enzyme can find its mistakes and correct them.

The scientists say there have been under 24 mutations of the Covid samples they are studying from China and said this means a vaccine will work against all of them.

With a virus as stable as Covid-19 the scientists said reinfection will be “less likely” and “less aggressive”.

CORONAVIRUS CRISIS – STAY IN THE KNOW

Don't miss the latest news and figures – and essential advice for you and your family.

To receive The Sun’s Coronavirus newsletter in your inbox every tea time, sign up here.

To follow us on Facebook, simply ‘Like’ our Coronavirus page.

Get Britain’s best-selling newspaper delivered to your smartphone or tablet each day – find out more.

Source: Read Full Article